Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan - Mar 1951)

NARBA OPPOSITION CCBS Gives Vie*s CONCESSIONS to Cuba, under the new NAEBA agreement, could jeopardize the United States' bargaining position in future negotiations with Mexico, the Clear Channel Broadcasting Service warned last week. In a letter circulated to all broadcasters under the signature of Ward Quaal, CCBS director, it was pointed out that "sooner or later" it is essential that the U. S. reach an agreement with Mexico, "much more so than with Cuba." The letter continues: It is naive to assume that, once the new NARBA is ratified, Mexico will not make disastrous effective use of these concessions to Cuba as weapons to force the U. S. to comply with excessive Mexican demands. The United States will enter into such negotiations with its hands tied, having set precedents which it cannot disown, and having fatally restricted its freedom of action. Alluding to fact that the present NARBA pact, now in the Senate for ratification vote [Broadcasting • Telecasting, Feb. 26], lacked the participation of Mexico and Haiti, CCBS declared the treaty "falls far short" of giving the broadcasting industry the "international protection" needed. The new NARBA . . . not only permits, but it invites . . . Mexican assignments to the detriment of all classes of stations in the United States. This is obvious from recent Mexican demands, and from provisions in the new NARBA which will inevitably incite Mexico to retaliatory measures. It also leaves the door wide open for Haiti ... to set up stations on any frequency. . . . CCBS contended that the U.S., having "rightfully rejected" Mexican demands, agreed with Cuba that Cuba may use five of Mexico's six I-A channels "to an extent that will necessarily cause resentment in Mexico and lead to retaliatory measures or even greater demands by Mexico." In portion of the letter dealing with concessions to Cuba, CCBS CD AT NBC Six Named To Committee SIX NBC Chicago men have been named by Vice President Harry C. Kopf to handle civilian defense problems at Central Division headquarters. Jack Ryan, press chief, heads a committee which includes Bill Ray, news and special events manager; George Heinemann, TV operations supervisor ; Homer Heck, AM production-program manager; Howard C. Luttgens, chief engineer, and Leonard Anderson, manager of integrated services. The group will deal with such problems as programming to educate and inform listeners and viewers on defense against attack, and for action during and after attack; protection of NBC personnel and plant, and development of plans for continued station and network radio-video operations in case of attack, Mr. Kopf said. Page 34 • March 5, 1951 described Havana as the "nub" of most of the difficulties. The fact that there are now in operation in that city 29 AM stations and that U.S. delegation "retreated" in agreeing to recognize 31 stations there was held by CCBS to be "cause, directly or indirectly, of much of the resulting injury to broadcasting service in the United States." Reasons Offered Going into the various classes of stations, the CCBS offered its reasons for claiming that stations other than its group, are faced with the same or similar situations. In its conclusion, CCBS contended that proponents of NARBA are "grossly exaggerating" the dangers of having no treaty pending the negotiation of another agreement. It was further held that the U.S. and Canada "can better afford the temporary lack of a treaty than can Cuba." CCBS suggested that sympathetic recipients of the letter might so inform their senators and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. NARBA proponents acknowledged the need of a treaty covering Mexico, but said that it was imper ative that the present NARBA agreement be consummated to resolve immediate interference problems with Cuba and the other signatories and that negotiations with Mexico would be of necessity another step to be resolved. Further, it was maintained it would be easier to negotiate a fair agreement with Mexico, once the other nations have accepted the present treaty. It was also felt in these quarters that had negotiations with Cuba collapsed, U. S. radio would be in a far more vulnerable position than would be broadcasting interests of our island neighbor. This was based on the need of only a groundwave signal to serve the relatively small area of Cuba with comparative "immunity" against any skywave signal interference from the U. S. It was further held, that the reverse situation existed for U. S. stations who relied on skywave signal and who could be, and have been in instances, subjected to heavy interference from stations of a nation not conforming to a treaty. The allegation that a more effective treaty could have been negotiated was discounted by NARBA spokesman who expressed the view that a new treaty could not havt been negotiated in the reasonably ( near future. Further, he ex , pressed doubts that terms as "fa1 vorable" to the United States could j* have been reached in future bar-|J gaining. BAG TO EXPAND To Insure Wide Representation EXPANSION of the membership of the Broadcast Advisory Council, all-industry group organized to ' promote participation in government defense efforts, was voted at a BAC meeting held Thursday in Washington. The action was taken in accordance with a recommendation adopted by the NAB board at its February meeting. Aim of the expansion is to insure a truly representative cross section of electronic industry elements. The council adopted a formal statement of its motives, as follows : Resolved: The purpose of the Broadcast Advisory Council is to render advice to the United States Government and others on means and methods to make the radio and television industry as useful as possible during the present emergency. Thursday's meeting was called by Justin Miller, NAB president and council chairman. It followed earlier meetings in which members gathered first-hand knowledge of problems facing the nation. Opening meeting was held last Dec. 14, and included a visit with President Truman as well as other high government officials. Present Thursday, in addition to Chairman Miller, were: Frank M. Russell, NBC; Earl Gammons, CBS; Glen McDaniel, RadioTelevision Mfrs. Assn. president-elect; Walter Compton, DuMont TV Network; Clair R. McCollough, WGAL Lancaster, Pa.; Robert H. Hinckley, ABC; C. Howard Lane, Field Enterprises; William A. Fay, WHAM Rochester; Seymour N. Siegel, National Assn. of Educational Broadcasters; G. Richard Shafto, WIS Columbia, S. C; I. R. Lounsberry, WGR Buffalo; Neal McNaughten, Richard P. Doherty, Vincent Wasilewski and Ralph W. Hardy, all of the NAB staff. Mr. Hardy is council secretary. Waltman Re-elected LA VERNE WALTMAN, WLPO La Salle, 111., was re-elected chairman, and Robert F. La Mere, WLBH Mattoon, vice chairman of the Illinois Associated Press at a meeting in Springfield Feb. 23. The meeting was held following sessions of the Illinois Brosdcasters Assn. which were highlighted by addresses from Illinois Governor Adlai E. Stevenson and Oliver Gramling, assistant general manager of Associated Press [Broadcasting • Telecasting, Feb. 26; also see IB A photo this issue, page 19]. An IBA resolutions committee, headed by Robert Burow, WDAN Danville, proposed that the IBA cooperate "to the fullest" with the state defense organization. The resolution was adopted by unanimous vote. LANG-WORTH CASE CHARGING Lang-Worth Feature Programs Inc., New York, with having come into the New York State Supreme Court to enjoin American Federation of Radio Artists strike activities "in bad faith and with unclean hands," the affidavit of A. Frank Reel, AFRA national executive secre tary, was filed last week in reply to the company's charges [Broadcasting • Telecasting, Feb. 26] . Opposing LangWorth's motion for a temporary injunction, which the court subsequently denied, Mr. Reel's affidavit alleged that on Dec. 4, 1950, Lang-Worth had agreed verbally to "every syllable, comma and period" in the 1951 transcription code, which it subsequently had refused to sign. John Sinn, World Broadcasting System president and vice president of Frederic W. Ziv Co., both in New York, had been spokesmen for the companies at the time agreement was reached, the affidavit stated. "He has informed us that all the producers, including specifically the representatives of . . . (LangWorth) . . . agreed in caucus to the settlement of Nov. 30, 1950. He was also present when Mr. Langlois (C. 0. Langlois, LangWorth president) and Mr. Socolow (A. Walter Socolow, LangWorth attorney) later agreed to final language changes," the affidavit continued. Mr. Sinn, it said, might be called upon to testify in that regard. Contrary to Lang-Worth charges, AFRA had not proposed "abolishing" library services as such, but only the code's reference to library service, as a means of making open end transcription pay, rehearsal scales and conditions applicable also to library service, the affidavit alleged. To Lang-Worth allegations that the new transcription code was illegal and in restraint of trade, the affidavit replied that the new code differed from older codes only in regard to hours, wages and conditions of employment. A paragraph of the new code was cited: "If there are any provisions of the National Labor Management Relations Act, 1947, which are in conflict with this code, such conflicting provisions of this code shall be deemed modified so as to conform to the provisions of the said act." AFRA picketing and letters to stations describing Lang-Worth as "unfair," the affidavit maintained, were "simply the exercise of free speech, the informing of the public and interested persons of the facts." Following denial of a temporary injunction and appointment of New York Supreme Court Judge Isador Wasservogel as official referee, trial of the case began Tuesday and ended Thursday, subject to exchange of briefs and provision of certain information for the court between then and March 21, when presumably the case will be decided. BROADCASTING Telecasting